Data processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A data processing apparatus includes a display portion, a control portion including a display control portion for causing the display portion to display a preview image of output target data, a touch sensor for receiving, on the display portion, a user operation for performing output setting for the output target data concerning the preview image, an output portion for outputting the output target data based on the output setting, and a control portion for, in a state where the display control portion arranges objects in page unit sequentially to be displayed as the preview image, when the touch sensor receives a predetermined pinch operation for the objects, performing page setting concerning the objects to be operated.

CROSS-NOTING PARAGRAPH

This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)on Patent Application No. 2013-019342 filed in JAPAN on Feb. 4, 2013,the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus, and morespecifically to a data processing apparatus which performs outputsetting for output target data and performs output of the output targetdata in accordance with the output setting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, a data processing apparatus such as an image formingapparatus provided with a display portion for displaying a preview imageof image data obtained by manuscript reading or the like as well as atouch sensor such as a touch panel capable of receiving a user operationhas been distributed.

As to such an image forming apparatus, Japanese Laid-Open PatentPublication No. 2006-247873 discloses a technology that when a touchpanel is touched so as to link preview images of manuscript of two pagesdisplayed on a display portion in the horizontal direction, the twopages are printed as a spread page, and when the touch panel is touchedso as to separate preview images of manuscript of two pages displayed onthe display portion in the vertical direction therebetween, the twopages are printed so as to be arranged on a front and a rear of a sheetof paper.

However, in the technology described in Japanese Laid-Open PatentPublication No. 2006-247873, a touch operation does not intuitively leadto printing setting corresponding to the operation and, for a user whois unaccustomed to using the apparatus, the setting does not become asdesired by the user, so that an erroneous operation is likely to becaused.

More specifically, in this technology, though the touch operation forlinking the preview images of manuscript of two pages that are displayedin the horizontal direction is performed so as to make the two pagesspread, the user misunderstands such a touch operation as an operationfor moving the touched pages in the horizontal direction. Moreover, inthis technology, though the touch operation for separating the displayedmanuscript of two pages in the vertical direction therebetween isperformed so as to arrange the two pages on a front and a rear, the usermisunderstands such a touch operation as an operation for dividing thetouched pages in the vertical direction therebetween.

On the other hand, the user also sometimes desires to change settingbetween double-side printing and single-side printing at the time ofprinting and to divide or combine files at the time of file outputting,while seeing preview images.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide a data processing apparatuscapable of executing output setting such as setting of double-sideprinting/single-side printing at the time of printing and setting ofseparating (dividing)/combining of files at the time of file outputting,by a touch operation close to the result at the time of outputtingoutput target data.

An object of the present invention is to provide a data processingapparatus comprising a display portion, a display control portion forcausing the display portion to display a preview image of output targetdata, a touch sensor for receiving, on the display portion, a useroperation for performing output setting for the output target dataconcerning the preview image, and an output portion for outputting theoutput target data based on the output setting, wherein the dataprocessing apparatus further comprising a control portion for, in astate where the display control portion arranges objects in page unitsequentially to be displayed as the preview image, when the touch sensorreceives a predetermined pinch operation for the objects, performingpage setting concerning the objects to be operated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the dataprocessing apparatus, wherein when the touch sensor receives anoperation for pinching out one of the objects as the predetermined pinchoperation, the control portion performs setting for separating pagesconcerning the one of the objects into a front page and rear page.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the dataprocessing apparatus, wherein when the touch sensor receives anoperation for pinching out two adjacent objects selected from among theobjects which are set to be stored as one file as the predeterminedpinch operation, the control portion changes to setting for dividing theone file into two files at a border of pages concerning the two objects.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the dataprocessing apparatus, wherein when the touch sensor receives anoperation for pinching in two adjacent objects among the objects as thepredetermined pinch operation, the control portion performs setting forcombining pages concerning the two objects.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the dataprocessing apparatus, wherein when the touch sensor receives anoperation for pinching in two adjacent objects which are set to bestored as separate files and are selected from among the objects as thepredetermined pinch operation, the control portion changes to settingfor combining the two files into one file at a border of pagesconcerning the two objects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure example of a dataprocessing apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an example of image processing inthe data processing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart following after FIG. 2;

FIG. 4A is a view showing an example of a preview image on a displayportion for explaining an example of image processing in the dataprocessing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4B is a view for explaining an example of a pinch out operation forthe preview image of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 4C is a view showing an example of a preview image displayed on thedisplay portion by the pinch out operation of FIG. 4B;

FIG. 4D is a view for explaining an example of a pinch in operation forthe preview image of FIG. 4C;

FIG. 5A is a view showing another example of a preview image on thedisplay portion for explaining an example of image processing in thedata processing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5B is a view for explaining an example of the pinch out operationfor the preview image of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5C is a view showing an example of a preview image displayed on thedisplay portion by the pinch out operation of FIG. 5B; and

FIG. 5D is a view for explaining an example of the pinch in operationfor the preview image of FIG. 5C.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure example of a dataprocessing apparatus according to the present invention.

A data processing apparatus 1 according to the present invention isprovided with a control portion 10 for controlling the whole of the dataprocessing apparatus 1. In order to control the whole of the dataprocessing apparatus 1, the control portion 10 is composed of controldevices such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (MicroProcessing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory) as a working area, and astorage device that stores a control program (including a program forperforming processing as described below according to the presentinvention) and various setting contents. As this storage device, a flashROM (Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable andProgrammable ROM), and the like are cited. Of course, a part or all ofthe control portion 10 is also able to be composed of dedicatedhardware.

The data processing apparatus 1 is further provided with a displayportion 11, a touch sensor 12 and an output portion as well as thecontrol portion 10 is provided with a display control portion 10 a forcontrolling display content on the display portion 11. The displaycontrol portion 10 a also performs control to cause the display portion11 to display a preview image of output target data read by a manuscriptreading portion 13.

This preview image is actually displayed being incorporated in a userinterface image (UI image). The display portion 11 is composed of adisplay panel for displaying an image, for example, such as a liquidcrystal display or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display. Thisdisplay portion 11 is preferably formed to be long laterally in order todisplay many pages to be seen easily simultaneously as a preview image.

The touch sensor 12 receives, on the display portion 11, a useroperation for the UI image including the preview image displayed on thedisplay portion 11. The user operation received by the touch sensor 12is transferred to the control portion 10 and content of the useroperation is interpreted in the control portion 10.

In addition, this user operation includes a pinch operation (a pinch inoperation or a pinch out operation). Therefore, the touch sensor 12 isconfigured so as to be able to detect a plurality of points by fingersor the like simultaneously (corresponding to multipoint input). As thetouch sensor 12, for example, touch sensors in various types, such as aprojection-type electrostatic capacitance type, an (analogue) resistancefilm type, a photosensor built-in LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) type andan infrared type, are able to be adopted.

Furthermore, the data processing apparatus 1 is preferably configured tobe provided with a hardware key group composed of, for example, numerickeys, a start key (execute key), a cancel key and the like, so as toreceive various user operations.

The above-described output portion outputs the above-described imagedata based on output setting received by the touch sensor 12 (othersetting may be basically default setting). As this output portion, aprinting portion 14 for printing the above-described image data or astorage portion 15 for storing (saving) the above-described image datain a file format is cited, and the data processing apparatus 1 may beconfigured so as to enable output by both of them, as exemplified inFIG. 1.

Moreover, the data processing apparatus 1 exemplified in FIG. 1 isprovided with a manuscript reading portion 13 for optically reading(scanning) original document (manuscript) and converting the manuscriptinto electronic data to thereby generate image data of the manuscript.By including the manuscript reading portion 13, it is possible to makethe above-described output target data serve as image data obtained byoptically reading the manuscript by the manuscript reading portion 13.

The printing portion 14 prints, on a recording paper, image datagenerated by the manuscript reading portion 13, image data received witha printing instruction from a not-shown personal computer (PC) (that is,image data received as a printing job), image data stored in a fileformat in the storage portion 15, and the like. Moreover, the printingportion 14 corresponds not only to single-side printing for printing onone side of a recording paper but also to double-side printing forprinting on both sides of a recording paper. Furthermore, printingsetting (single-side/double-side and the like) at the time of printingin the printing portion 14 may be stored in the storage portion 15. Notethat, the PC and the data processing apparatus 1 are able to beconnected through a wired/wireless network such as a LAN (Local AreaNetwork) or in a peer-to-peer manner. A processing program of a printerdriver or the like for the data processing apparatus 1 may be stored inthe PC so as to be executable.

The storage portion 15 is composed of a hard disc and the like, and isable to save image data read by the manuscript reading portion 13, imagedata received from the PC, and the like as the output result in a fileformat. Note that, the storage portion 15 and the above-describedstorage device in the control portion 10 are also able to be mounted asa common device.

Moreover, the storage portion 15 is able to store one or a plurality ofdocument files 15 a as exemplified with a file A and a file B. The filesA and B are files in which each page is configured by texts and/orembedded images. In the storage portion 15, for example, files which areoriginally stored in the storage portion 15 are divided into two files Aand B to be saved, and therefore also able to be output. Moreover, theimage data saved in a file format in the storage portion 15 is also ableto be transmitted to an external device. Note that, as described above,even in a case where output target data is a text file composed of onlytexts (and a format thereof), if two files or one file with two or morepages exist, the files are able to be combined or separated, andtherefore able to be regarded as an output target.

Moreover, as shown from the above-described structure example, as thedata processing apparatus 1 according to the present invention,including a multi-functional peripheral (MFP) having a plurality offunctions such as a print function (function for executing printing byan instruction from outside such as the PC), a copy function, a filesave function for a scanned image, and a file transfer function, aprinter with a print function alone, a copier with a copy functionalone, and the like are cited.

In addition, the control portion 10 of the data processing apparatus 1according to the present invention, as a main feature thereof, in astate where the display control portion 10 a arranges objects in pageunit sequentially to be displayed as a preview image, when the touchsensor 12 receives a predetermined pinch operation for the objects,performs page setting concerning the objects to be operated. Then, thesetting content subjected to the page setting is to be reflected at thetime of printing or file saving.

Here, when the output is file output (file saving), objects for eachpage of the output file are arranged sequentially as they are, and whena plurality of files are displayed, the display is performed so that thefiles are distinguishable. Moreover, even when the output is printing,as to pages to which single-side printing is set, objects for each ofthe pages are arranged sequentially, whereas, as to pages to whichdouble-side printing is set, only one side thereof (preferably, frontside) is displayed as the object.

As above, according to the present invention, it becomes possible toexecute output setting such as setting of double-sideprinting/single-side printing at the time of printing and setting ofseparating (dividing)/combining of files at the time of file outputting,by a touch operation close to the result at the time of outputting imagedata, and the practical operation for pages/files are made closer to theresult, thus making it possible to prevent the user from performing anerroneous operation.

As described above, as the pinch operation, there are a pinch outoperation and a pinch in operation.

As an example using the pinch out operation, when the touch sensor 12receives an operation for pinching out one of the objects as theabove-described predetermined pinch operation, the control portion 10may perform setting so as to separate pages concerning the one of theobjects into a front page and rear page. This makes it possible toexecute output setting such as changing from double-side printing tosingle-side printing at the time of printing and separating of files atthe time of file outputting (file saving), by the pinch out operationclose to the result at the time of outputting image data. Descriptionthereof will be given below specifically.

As an example using the pinch in operation, when the touch sensor 12receives an operation for pinching in two adjacent objects among theobjects as the above-described predetermined pinch operation, thecontrol portion 10 may perform setting so as to combine pages concerningthe two objects. This makes it possible to execute output setting suchas changing from single-side printing to double-side printing at thetime of printing and combining of files at the time of file outputting(file saving), by the pinch in operation close to the result at the timeof outputting image data. Description thereof will be given belowspecifically.

The data processing apparatus 1 will be described below specifically asbeing capable of corresponding to both the pinch out operation and thepinch in operation as well as corresponding to both printing and filesaving as output, but may be able to correspond to only one of theoperations or to only one of outputting.

The control portion 10 exemplified in FIG. 1 has the display controlportion 10 a as well as is able to interpret a user operation from thetouch sensor 12 (touch operation), and, in addition, is provided with agesture judging portion 10 b, a file name managing portion 10 c, a filedividing/combining portion 10 d and a print page dividing/combiningportion 10 e as follows.

The gesture judging portion 10 b judges what touch operation the useroperation to the touch sensor 12 is as a gesture. The pinch outoperation and the pinch in operation are able to be judged as one ofthis gesture. Moreover, the file name managing portion 10 c manages aregistered name of a file. The file dividing/combining portion 10 dcontrols dividing and combining of files. The print pagedividing/combining portion 10 e controls dividing and combining of printpages.

Description will be given below for an example of image processing inthe data processing apparatus 1 in such a structure example withreference to views subsequent to FIG. 2 in combination. Here, FIG. 2 isa flowchart for explaining an example of image processing in the dataprocessing apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart followingafter to FIG. 2. Moreover, FIG. 4A to FIG. 4D and FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D areviews for explaining an example of a preview image showing a pinchoperation and the output result for the operation of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4A is a view showing an example of a preview image on the displayportion 11 for explaining an example of image processing in the dataprocessing apparatus 1, FIG. 4B is a view for explaining an example of apinch out operation for the preview image of FIG. 4A, FIG. 4C is a viewshowing an example of a preview image displayed on the display portion11 by the pinch out operation of FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4D is a view forexplaining an example of a pinch in operation for the preview image ofFIG. 4C. In addition, FIG. 5A is a view showing another example of apreview image on the display portion 11 for explaining an example ofimage processing in the data processing apparatus 1, FIG. 5B is a viewfor explaining an example of the pinch out operation for the previewimage of FIG. 5A, FIG. 5C is a view showing an example of a previewimage displayed on the display portion 11 by the pinch out operation ofFIG. 5B, and FIG. 5D is a view for explaining an example of the pinch inoperation for the preview image of FIG. 5C. In these views, page numbersare indicated in Roman figures in both front side and rear side.

First, the display control portion 10 a generates a preview image of afile stored in the storage portion 15 and causes the display portion 11to display a UI image including the preview image (step S1). The touchsensor 12 detects whether the UI image is touched (step S2), and whenthe touch is detected, detects a touch position simultaneously as wellto transfer to the control portion 10. When the touch is not detected,the detection is waited for.

Next, responding to the detection result from the touch sensor 12,whether or not the operation after the touch is detected at step S2 isan operation for expanding fingers (that is, the pinch out operation) isjudged by the gesture judging portion 10 b (step S3). In the case of YESat step S3, whether or not there is one selected object is judged (stepS4). Then, in the case of YES at step S4, whether or not the selectedobject is an object to which double-side printing is set is judged (stepS5).

In the case of NO at step S5, the procedure returns to step S1 withoutperforming processing. The case of YES at step S5 corresponds to asetting example that a page is separated when the output portion is theprinting portion 14. Therefore, the print page dividing/combiningportion 10 e newly adds (inserts) one object to a page following theselected object (step S6). Then, the print page dividing/combiningportion 10 e reads an object concerning the manuscript on a rear side ofthe selected object to attach to a front side of the added object (stepS7). After that, since the original data on the rear side of theselected object is unnecessary, the print page dividing/combiningportion 10 e deletes it (step S8), and the procedure returns to step S1.

A specific example will be given. As exemplifying a state of anoperation for a preview image 20 of FIG. 4A with reference numerals 22 aand 22 b of FIG. 4B, when one object 21 showing a double-side sheet isselected and subjected to the pinch out operation, it becomes objects 23and 24 of separate sheets as shown in FIG. 4C.

In this manner, when the touch sensor 12 receives the operation forpinching out one object selected from among the objects to whichdouble-side printing is set, the control portion 10 changes to settingfor performing single-side printing for a page concerning the oneobject, thereby performing setting for separating the page. This makesit possible to execute changing from double-side printing to single-sideprinting at the time of printing, by the pinch out operation close tothe result at the time of printing image data. Note that, in thisexample, as described above, the display control portion 10 a, as to thepage to which double-side printing is set, essentially causes only oneside thereof to be displayed as an object. Moreover, though descriptionhas been given assuming that the output portion in this example is theprinting portion 14, the storage portion 15 is also applicable.

On the other hand, in the case of NO at step S4, whether or not theselected objects are two adjacent sheets is judged by the gesturejudging portion 10 b (step S9). In the case of NO at step S9, theprocedure returns to step S1 without performing processing.

The case of YES at step S9 corresponds to a setting example that a pageis separated when the output portion is the storage portion 15.Therefore, the file dividing/combining portion 10 d divides a file intoseparate files at a selected point (a selected part of the object) (stepS10), the file name managing portion 10 c adds, for example, “−1” to afile name till then as a file name of the latter file which is divided(step S11), and the file dividing/combining portion 10 d stores eachdivided file in the storage portion 15 (step S12). Thereafter, theprocedure returns to step S1.

A specific example will be given. As exemplifying a state of anoperation for a preview image 30 of FIG. 5A with reference numerals 33 aand 33 b of FIG. 5B, when two adjacent objects 31 and 32 are selectedand subjected to the pinch out operation, the state becomes as shown inFIG. 5C. That is, as a file is divided at the position, a preview image33 of a first file and a preview image 34 of a second file are displayedseparately. Note that, a method of separating may be such as surroundingan object group of one file with dotted line as exemplified in FIG. 5Band FIG. 5C.

In this manner, when the touch sensor 12 receives an operation forpinching out two adjacent objects selected from among the objects whichare set to be stored as one file, the control portion 10 changes tosetting for dividing one file described above into two files at a borderof pages concerning the two objects, thereby performing setting forseparating the page. This makes it possible to execute separating of thefile at the time of file saving, by the pinch out operation close to theresult at the time of saving image data.

On the other hand, in the case of NO at step S3, the procedure moves toFIG. 3, and whether or not an operation after the touch is an operationfor closing fingers (that is, the pinch in operation) is judged by thegesture judging portion 10 b (step S13). In the case of NO at step S13,other control corresponding to the operation is performed (step S21),and the procedure returns to step S1.

In the case of YES at step S13, whether or not the selected objects aretwo adjacent sheets is judged (step S14). In the case of NO at step S14,the procedure returns to step S1 without performing processing. In thecase of YES at step S14, whether or not the selected objects are objectsof different files is judged (step S15). In the case of NO at step S15,whether or not single-side printing is set to each of the selectedobjects is judged (step S16).

In the case of NO at step S16, the procedure returns to step S1 withoutperforming processing. The case of YES at step S16 corresponds to asetting example that pages are combined when the output portion is theprinting portion 14. Therefore, the print page dividing/combiningportion 10 e attaches information (image data) of the selected latterobject to a rear side of the former object (step S17) and deletes thepage of the selected latter object (step S18), and the procedure returnsto step S1.

A specific example will be given. As exemplifying a state of anoperation with reference numerals 25 a and 25 b of FIG. 4D, when objects23 and 24, each of which is a single-side sheet, are selectedsimultaneously and subjected to the pinch in operation, the objects 23and 24 showing two sheets which have had single side as shown in FIG. 4Aare turned to an object 21 of one sheet with each of which as a frontside and a rear side (a page which has a smaller page number correspondsto the front side).

In this manner, when the touch sensor 12 receives the operation forpinching in two objects selected from among the objects to whichsingle-side printing is set, the control portion 10 changes to settingfor performing double-side printing with a page concerning one of thetwo objects as a front side and a page concerning the other as a rearside, thereby performing setting for combining the pages. This makes itpossible to execute changing from single-side printing to double-sideprinting at the time of printing, by the pinch in operation close to theresult at the time of printing image data. Moreover, in this example,the display control portion 10 a preferably causes the page to whichdouble-side printing is set to be displayed with only one side thereofas an object. In addition, though description has been given assumingthat the output portion in this example is the printing portion 14, thestorage portion 15 is also applicable.

On the other hand, the case of YES at step S15 corresponds to a settingexample that pages are combined when the output portion is the storageportion 15. Therefore, the file dividing/combining portion 10 d combinesfiles including the selected objects (step S19) and stores the combinedfile (step S20), and the procedure returns to step S1.

A specific example will be given. As exemplifying a state of anoperation with reference numerals 35 a and 35 b of FIG. 5D, when twoadjacent objects 31 and 32 corresponding to different files are selectedand subjected to the pinch in operation, the state becomes as shown inFIG. 5A. That is, as the files are combined at the position, a previewimage 33 of a first file and a preview image 34 of a second file aredisplayed as a preview image 30 of one file without separation.

In this manner, when the touch sensor 12 receives the operation forpinching in two adjacent objects which are set to be stored as separatefiles and are selected from among the objects, the control portion 10changes to setting for combining the above-described two files into onefile at a border of pages concerning the two objects, thereby performingsetting for combining the pages. Thus, since the two files are combinedinto one file, it is possible to execute combining of files at the timeof file saving, by the pinch in operation close to the result at thetime of saving image data.

As above, though description has been given for the data processingapparatus according to the present invention, as explained forprocessing procedure thereof, the present invention can take a form as adata processing method in the data processing apparatus configured asdescribed above. This data processing method has a feature, inparticular, in a data setting method, and has a step in which, in astate where a display control portion arranges objects in page unitsequentially to be displayed as a preview image, when a touch sensorreceives a predetermined pinch operation for the objects, a controlportion performs page setting concerning the objects to be operated.Other applications and effects are as described for the data processingapparatus, and description thereof will be omitted.

Moreover, the present invention can take a form as a program for causingthe control portion in the data processing apparatus to execute theabove-described data processing method (that is, a program forperforming processing according to the present invention in the controlportion 10 of FIG. 1). By storing this program in a storage device ofthe control portion 10 (or the storage portion 15) to read from thestorage device for execution, functions according to the presentinvention are able to be realized.

Moreover, the present invention can take a form as a computer readablerecording medium having this program stored therein. A portable recodingmedium such as a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), a BD(Blu-ray Disc), or a Universal Serial Bus (USB: registered trademark)memory is used as an example for this recording medium. In this form, byreading the program by the control portion 10 from the above-describedrecording medium for execution or by reading the program by the controlportion 10 from the above-described recording medium, storing it in thestorage device of the control portion 10 (or the storage portion 15) andreading it from the storage device for execution, functions according tothe present invention are able to be realized.

As explained above, the data processing apparatus according to thepresent invention is a data processing apparatus comprising a displayportion, a display control portion for causing the display portion todisplay a preview image of output target data, a touch sensor forreceiving, on the display portion, a user operation for performingoutput setting for the output target data concerning the preview image,and an output portion for outputting the output target data based on theoutput setting, and further comprising a control portion for, in a statewhere the display control portion arranges objects in page unitsequentially to be displayed as the preview image, when the touch sensorreceives a predetermined pinch operation for the objects, performingpage setting concerning the objects to be operated. This makes itpossible to execute output setting by a touch operation close to theresult at the time of outputting output target data.

Moreover, when the touch sensor receives an operation for pinching outone of the objects as the predetermined pinch operation, the controlportion may perform setting for separating pages concerning the one ofthe objects into a front page and rear page. This makes it possible toexecute output setting such as changing from double-side printing tosingle-side printing at the time of printing and separating of files atthe time of file outputting (file saving), by the pinch out operationclose to the result at the time of outputting output target data.

Here, as to a page to which double-side printing is set, the displaycontrol portion causes only one side thereof to be displayed as anobject, and when the touch sensor receives an operation for pinching outone object selected from among the objects to which double-side printingis set as the predetermined pinch operation, the control portion maychange to setting for performing single-side printing for a pageconcerning the one object. This makes it possible to execute changingfrom double-side printing to single-side printing at the time ofprinting, by the pinch out operation close to the result at the time ofprinting output target data.

Alternatively, when the touch sensor receives an operation for pinchingout two adjacent objects selected from among the objects which are setto be stored as one file as the predetermined pinch operation, thecontrol portion may change to setting for dividing the one file into twofiles at a border of pages concerning the two objects. This makes itpossible to execute separating of files at the time of file saving, bythe pinch out operation close to the result at the time of saving outputtarget data.

Moreover, instead, when the touch sensor receives an operation forpinching in two adjacent objects among the objects as the predeterminedpinch operation, the control portion may perform setting for combiningpages concerning the two objects. This makes it possible to executeoutput setting such as changing from single-side printing to double-sideprinting at the time of printing and combining of files at the time offile outputting (file saving), by the pinch in operation close to theresult at the time of outputting output target data.

Here, when the touch sensor receives an operation for pinching in twoobjects selected from among the objects to which single-side printing isset as the predetermined pinch operation, the control portion may changeto setting for performing double-side printing with a page concerningone of the two objects as a front side and a page concerning the otheras a rear side. This makes it possible to execute changing fromsingle-side printing to double-side printing at the time of printing, bythe pinch in operation close to the result at the time of printingoutput target data.

Alternatively, when the touch sensor receives an operation for pinchingin two adjacent objects which are set to be stored as separate files andare selected from among the objects as the predetermined pinchoperation, the control portion may change to setting for combining thetwo files into one file at a border of pages concerning the two objects.This makes is possible to execute combining of files at the time of filesaving, by the pinch in operation close to the result at the time ofsaving output target data.

As above, according to the data processing apparatus according to thepresent invention, it becomes possible to execute output setting such assetting of double-side printing/single-side printing at the time ofprinting and setting of separating (dividing)/combining of files at thetime of file outputting, by a touch operation close to the result at thetime of outputting output target data.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A data processing apparatus, comprising: adisplay portion, a display control portion for causing the displayportion to display a preview image of output target data, a touch sensorfor receiving, on the display portion, a user operation for performingoutput setting for the output target data concerning the preview image,and an output portion for outputting the output target data based on theoutput setting; wherein the data processing apparatus further comprisesa control portion for, in a state where the display control portionarranges objects in page unit sequentially to be displayed as thepreview image, when the touch sensor receives a predetermined pinchoperation for the objects, performing page setting concerning theobjects to be operated; when the touch sensor receives an operation forpinching out one of the objects as the predetermined pinch operation,the control portion performs setting for separating pages concerning theone of the objects into a front page and rear page; and when the touchsensor receives an operation for pinching out two adjacent objectsselected from among the objects which are set to be stored as one fileas the predetermined pinch operation, the control portion changes tosetting for dividing the one file into two files at a border of pagesconcerning the two objects.
 2. A data processing apparatus, comprising:a display portion, a display control portion for causing the displayportion to display a preview image of output target data, a touch sensorfor receiving, on the display portion, a user operation for performingoutput setting for the output target data concerning the preview image,and an output portion for outputting the output target data based on theoutput setting; wherein the data processing apparatus further comprisesa control portion for, in a state where the display control portionarranges objects in page unit sequentially to be displayed as thepreview image, when the touch sensor receives a predetermined pinchoperation for the objects, performing page setting concerning theobjects to be operated; when the touch sensor receives an operation forpinching in two adjacent objects among the objects as the predeterminedpinch operation, the control portion performs setting for combiningpages concerning the two objects; and when the touch sensor receives anoperation for pinching in two adjacent objects which are set to bestored as separate files and are selected from among the objects as thepredetermined pinch operation, the control portion changes to settingfor combining the two files into one file at a border of pagesconcerning the two objects.